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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27456109">I Just Want to be Appreciated</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/reggiesphantom/pseuds/reggiesphantom'>reggiesphantom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV), Julie and The Phantoms (TV) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Good Friend Julie Molina, Good Parent Ray Molina, M/M, Protective Alex (Julie and The Phantoms), Protective Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:00:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27456109</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/reggiesphantom/pseuds/reggiesphantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Reggie finally sees his parents after being dead for 25 years, but it does not go as planned. Ray Molina steps up, and tries to help the phantom.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>122</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Just Want to be Appreciated</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Why does life change when we least expect it? More importantly, why when we want things to happen, they never do? It feels frustrating -- waiting so long for something to happen but then it just never does. Waiting is always said to be the best thing to happen but, is it? Is it better to wait for the good to happen, or work your ass off day in and day out for it to happen sooner? That's the real question, because sometimes the waiting game is the best thing to do, even if you're in dire need of something good to happen -- the good outweighs the bad.<br/>
Waiting is not ideal for Reggie, he’s an impatient person. Well, was. After Reggie died it got a lot worse, but his hope never left. The mystic eyed teen holds out hope daily. Deep down there is so much he still wants to right but being only a memory kills him more. I wouldn’t say Reggie is clueless, but naïve. He still jots through “life” without a care and loves every second with his best friend. If only they knew, deep down he is hurting.</p><p>Back in 1995, Reggie along with his bandmates Alex and Luke ate rancid hotdogs. I’m not talking out rotten ones, I mean they were laced with battery acid. With Sunset Curve getting off their feet they had to do what they could for food – it wasn’t great. That one fatal dog caused a whirlwind of events. One by one the boys dropped off like flies until Reggie was the last alive. Watching his best friends die in front of him, broke him. In the end, he gave up as well; no life was worth living if it wasn’t with Luke and Alex.</p><p>Fast forward to 2020 the band is back! Not Sunset Curve, but Julie and the Phantoms. During their 25 years on the other side, they were confined to a dark room – nothingness. That was until 16-year-old Julie Molina brought them back. Who would’ve thought listening to a CD could poof in three ghosts? Julie sure didn’t; she thought she went crazy. Having unfinished business brought them back and they worked against the clock to complete it. No such luck. That one show they never got to play finally happened, yet they were still walking the line of mortality and supernatural.<br/>
It’s been two weeks since the show at the Orpheum. The guys have never felt better, stronger even. Just when they thought their final light was snuffed out, Julie came through. Her love broke the curse Caleb put on them. Every moment they have been learning to make one of a kind; there is no telling when they will officially cross over. With that in mind, Reggie has made it his plan to get answers. He is scared but needs the closure. </p><p>Within that two weeks the guys have been helping Reggie try to locate his parents. 25 years of tracks have been uncovered through every means necessary. Going forth with pursuing them is the problem. The tracks run dry after a while and then they pick up again. The constant back and forth makes Reggie frustrated, but determined. Fixated on this project he believes only good can come out. Alex and Luke on the other hand, aren’t too sure. “Reg, it’s been weeks now. There is no guarantee—” Luke helped a hand up, shooting Alex a look to say stop. Reggie was scouring through the paper trails, not noticing anything going on.</p><p>“We are close, I can feel it.” Without looking up from his work, Reggie spoke with a gleam of hope in his voice. Alex knew how this could and would end up, but Luke wanted Reggie to still have that hope. Telling Reggie, the truth would only break him, and they weren’t about to do that. Sliding himself off the couch, Alex jolted up with a bright smile. “How about we go to the pier! Clear our heads, maybe we can pick this up after a breather?” Luke second that automatically, popping himself next to Alex. Finally breaking his line of sight, Reggie looked up. With a nod, they all popped out of the garage, and onto the beach. It wasn’t exactly the pier, but it would do. Reggie slowly swung himself around, looking at look blankly. “Why’d we come back here?” They were in front of where Reggie’s house was, the bike shop now sitting in its place. The tinge of pain rang through his heart, but it didn’t stop him. Panning over to his friends he could see the confusion on their face, Luke openly disturbed. Alex placed a hand on Reggie’s shoulder, sucking his breath in deeply. </p><p>Coming out of the noodle shop was a couple, middle-aged with overly grey hair. Alex knew, he could feel it. Luke swung his head back to Reggie, mouth agape. Without a missing beat Reggie sprinted his way across the street, poofing wasn’t an option. At the street corner the couple stood – Reggie facing them. His eyes began to water but not with sadness, only with joy. Rebecca and Daniel, Reggie finally found his parents. He placed a keen hand out to touch his mom’s face, for a second it landed, then faded. It was okay though now that he had found them. His mother’s hand came up to her cheek. Tears started to well in her eyes.</p><p>There was no words Reggie could speak that they would hear. But Luke knew, he did the same thing with his parents. Wishing for his guitar, he started to slowly strum; behind Reggie’s parents Alex and Luke began their song. Fly Me to The Moon was a song they sang to Reggie as a baby to help him sleep. Every time it did the deed. Now, Reggie knew it was their time to hear their son sing it. He thought it would feel good, that the lyrics would metaphorically wake them up. Only in the place of that happiness, fear remained. </p><p>Reggie gave his all, he sung his heart out for them, only to have it returned with fearful empty gazes. As the second verse started to roll in, Rebecca and Daniel ran quickly to their car around the corner, sobs kept leaving Rebecca’s mouth. Reggie was confused as to why she was scared, he thought she would be happy. “It’s back, that song…Daniel make it stop!” On cue, Reggie stopped. Alex and Luke saw Reggie’s heart shatter into a million pieces before them. His knees buckled; heart-wrenching sobs slipped through his cracked lips. His parents were a fight away from a divorce in 1995, now in 2020 they couldn’t bear the memory of their passed son. </p><p>“Reggie…are you—” Before Luke could finish his sentence, Reggie was gone. He couldn’t sit and cry on the sidewalk, he needed the privacy. They both knew he did but were clueless on where Reggie would go. So many places made him happy in life but, in death one let his sadness out. On that note, Luke and Alex walked side by side letting their feet take them where they needed to go. Giving Reggie the time to collect his thoughts was needed, and they respected that. At the end of the day they wanted Reggie to be happy. </p><p>Reggie poofed into the garage, peering around to see if Julie, Carlos or Ray was there. Once he saw the coast was clear, he let go. Rage and sadness overtook his movements; the coffee table went sky high papers being tossed all over the place. Blood curdling screams filled the room, but Reggie could hear only silence. It’s back, that song…Daniel make it stop! His mother’s voice kept echoing over and over, Reggie could take anymore of it. Smashing one of the glass vases against the garage door, he was gone. He felt himself break down inside; that’s never been done before with Reggie. The usual happy-go-lucky teen was numb. He didn’t know how, but he felt himself levitate to the loft his head resting against one of the old bean bag chairs. Quietly, he let out his sobs; tears stained the fabric beneath his head. Reggie lost himself that day, the broken pieces laid on the sidewalk while the rest of his being lied dormant in the loft. Lost in his own world, he did not hear the garage door creaking open. Slipping his way through the door was Ray Molina, mid 40’s and full of life. He knows what it is like to lose someone you love, Reggie knew. Yet he couldn’t feel him in the garage.<br/>
Ray noticed the glass on the floor, confused. Not thinking a single thought about it he swept it up, placing it in the waste basket near the couch. Going back to his routine, he grabbed the watering can from the left side of the green house, softly humming Finally Free to himself. Ray could feel the energy was tight, thick. Reggie’s emotions filled the garage, each molecule passing through Ray. It hurt his heart to feel this, thinking maybe it was Rose there. Shaking his head of the thoughts, faintly he could hear sobbing coming from above. “Rose?” he called out but got no response. Chuckling to himself, he slowly made his way over to Alex’s drumkit. As he placed himself under the loft, the sound got louder. </p><p>Ray grabbed onto the ladder heading up, arming himself with a drumstick. He knew deep down it was no threat but couldn’t be too sure. As he crept upon the final few steps, he saw the body of Reggie lying sideways, facing the bars out. As if on cue, Ray’s eyes began to water. He could feel Reggie’s pain, he could sense it. It killed him inside seeing someone in this state. Peaking over Reggie’s body, he got a full shot at the face – realizing who it was. Confusion made its way through Ray’s body – how could holograms be in the garage? Without thinking, Ray placed a loving hand on Reggie’s midback, rubbing it slightly.</p><p>Reggie couldn’t help but flip himself around quickly, shock on his face. Retracting his hand, Ray held it up near his head, giving it as a warning that he won’t hurt him. Seconds after Reggie let the tension go, holding his knees to his chest. His eyes bloodshot, redness surrounded his face. Ray knew he was hurting, and really needed to let it out. Parking himself next to Reggie, Ray turned his head to look at the teen, smiling softly a little. “You look like you could use one of my famous Ray Molina dad hugs.” Julie’s dad elbowed Reggie’s side a bit, getting a small chortle out of him. It didn’t last long, Reggie broke as soon as Ray put his hand around his back, pulling him closer. It felt so natural for Reggie to let himself go in Ray’s arms; the sobs fell effortlessly from his mouth. The poor kid shook, screams filled the empty space again. </p><p>“I know I don’t know what you’re going through right now. But if you ever need anyone. I got you.” The air around Reggie glimmered, sparkling softly. He realized now, he was bonded to Ray. The father he never had in life, he now had in death.</p>
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